#KnowYourTruth

The public education system, which first outlawed and then refused to educate black children (as well as many children of color and women), was never created with black success in mind. For over a century, black families and community leaders have created—and continue to create—alternative schools that fully respect the intellect and development of our children. Since black students were systematically excluded from public education, black educators took to establishing independent schools that served black kids.

Today the public education system continues to fail low-income students and students of color at an alarming rate. And like the brave education advocates before them, communities of color and low-income communities are still fighting to find ways to educate their children by any means necessary, whether deciding to send their child to an alternative public charter or magnet school or using a public voucher to attend a private school.

With these #KnowYourTruth graphics, we are celebrating the long history of communities of color who have organized better school options for their kids, and are exposing the systematic racism that still exists in the public education system today.